German Parliament gives the green light to Chancellor Merkel's fourth term

The Christian Democrat leader will lead a new grand coalition, six months after the election

14 Mart 2018 Çarşamba 12:30 - 23 reads.

Merkel IV. The German chancellor has just achieved support of majority of Parliament to be invested for fourth consecutive time and to govern largest European economy and de facto power of union. Angela Merkel will rule in a new big coalition with Social Democrats, after twelve years at head of Germany. With a government in Berlin, it will finally be able to start long reform with which Union aspires to protect itself from present and future crises.

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Merkel cements her fourth term in front of Germany

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From nine in morning, 709 deputies were called one by one by name to attending to deposit ir ballot. 364 voted in favour of Merkel's inauguration, a figure greater than 355 support needed to achieve absolute majority.

Getting here hasn't been easy. It has taken 171 days of negotiations in extremis, tons of uncertainty and capital transfers to make new executive see light today. Merkel won elections last September, but did not achieve majority enough to form a government. The search for a minority partner has become an auntic via Crucis for chancellor in recent months. The one that has ended today has been longest period of disgovernment in history of modern Germany. In end, Merkel's conservative Bloc (CDU/CSU) will again coexist with social democracy in anor major coalition, which has provided so much stability to Germany, but whose formula begins to give signs of serious wear and tear.

Alternative by Germany, (AFD), party of extreme right, which has entered with force, for first time in parliament, becomes starting from today in first party of opposition, with 92 deputies. AFD is a protest and antiimmigration party that has managed to exploit and capitalize on fears that emerged with arrival of a million and a half refugees from 2015.

A very wealthy government is born today, with a record surplus, which, according to coalition contract, will be allocated to families, education, research and investing in ruinous German infrastructures. But 177-page text, which constitutes government programme, is mainly advocating for strengning of European Union, which it gives a leading role in next executive. This document has been received with enthusiasm in European capitals, which expect that from now on a new phase of reforms will be opened and that new German government buries era of austerity that former German finance minister preached with Iron Fist , Wolfgang Schauble.

The Groko formula, as great Coalition in Germany is known, is nothing new. The one that is born today is third Great coalition that Merkel's bloc has agreed with Social Democrats in last 12 years. The cohabitation of two great Parties was also formula governed by outgoing government (2013-2017).

So in part, in Germany we live historic day today with a certain sense of déjà vu. "The future will be postponed", entitled digital edition of Der Spiegel, which believed that with new Great Coalition is not born a project for future, but a "nostalgic", more typical of "The Times in which world seemed to be in order."